Reps Approve Life Pension For Speaker, Senate President, Deputies

Members of the House of Representatives have approved life pension for the President and Deputy President of the Senate as well as Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

This came as the lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favour of 71 amendments to sections of the 1999 constitution.

The life pension approved, according to the lawmakers, would however be paid only if he/she was not impeached from office.

The lawmakers also voted in support of the adoption of referendum for state creation, but rejected the amendment of Section 9 to allow for a referendum in determining the fate of the National Conference recommendations.

261 house members participated in the process, 252 of whom voted in favour of the amendments. Eight however voted against, while one abstained.

A two-third vote (240 of the 360-members) is required to amend the constitution.

The report will be forwarded to the 36 state Houses of Assembly for their concurrence, according to a report by Vanguard.

The 71 amendments approved by the lower house border on state creation, indigeneship and citizenship, role of/for traditional rulers, independent candidacy in elections, budgetary process, legislative immunity, local government autonomy, among others.

The lawmakers also voted to bypass the president if he failed to sign a bill presented to him within 30 days.

1 COMMENT

  1. Where are we going in this country. We are hearing that civil servant who suppose to have life pension will no longer have it in future. So it is politicians that will now have it. After the president, speakers & their deputies, members will start their agitation.